CHICAGO, Dec. 11, 2006 – Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), the leading global provider of enterprise market information solutions for the consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail and healthcare industries, today announced that A&P has selected the IRI Retail Practice and the IRI Perishable Service™ for insights into its perishables departments. The IRI Perishable Service for Retailers integrates the IRI PlusSuite® insights visualization solution with the highly-accurate and timely scanner-based perishables sales information from IRI and The FreshLook Marketing Group to deliver critical new information to help A&P effectively compete in the perishables space.
Under the new relationship, A&P will leverage a perishables insights database to create and measure retail success in its fresh meat and seafood, deli meat, deli cheese, deli prepared, produce and in-store bakery departments. This information will enable A&P to review its perishable performance against its local competition for the first time, creating a significant competitive advantage. Additionally, A&P will be able to incorporate IRI syndicated store data with the Perishable Service to get a “true” picture of its total store performance. Ultimately, A&P will be empowered to benchmark performances, adjust marketing strategies and modify its retail merchandising activities mid-stream to maximize category performance.
“The addition of the perishable information to our syndicated data allows us to better implement our stated strategies,” said A&P Vice President of Pricing and Consumer Research Bob James. “We are extremely pleased to be working with IRI to gain these valuable insights to drive our business even further.”
Perishable products account for 30 percent of all supermarket food sales and play an increasingly critical role in establishing retailer image and competitive positioning. It is imperative for grocery retailers to have access to perishable sales data to properly manage their business, serve their customers and compete with other retailers and alternative outlets. The IRI Perishable Service meets this demand by providing accurate insights for produce, fresh meat and seafood, in-store deli and bakery and bulk foods categories.
“Forward thinking retailers such as A&P require a holistic view of their entire store,” said President of IRI Retail Solutions and Strategic Consulting Thom Blischok. “The IRI Perishable Service delivers on this need, providing a far richer picture of the total store by offering an in-depth understanding of sales and merchandising dynamics throughout the perishable departments. We have enjoyed a longstanding relationship with A&P and are delighted that they have turned to IRI to help them more effectively manage their perishable business and provide a healthy boost to their bottom line.”
About A&P
With corporate headquarters in Montvale, N.J., A&P operates 403 stores in the United States under 8 retail banners, which include conventional supermarkets, food and drug combination stores and discount food stores. The Company distributes private label product lines sold exclusively throughout its U.S. banners under the trade names- America's Choice, Master Choice, Health Pride and Savings Plus.
About The FreshLook Marketing Group
FreshLook Marketing Group provides scanner-based information on the sales of perishable products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, deli cheese and meats, deli prepared foods, fresh meat and seafood, in-store bakery items and bulk foods. Founded in 2000, with data provided by Information Resources, Inc. from 17,000 supermarkets, the Hoffman Estates, Illinois-based firm is a leading supplier of marketing information and category management support tools to shippers, growers, producers, vendors, consultants and retailers. For more information, contact Mark Degner at (847) 252-7466 or visit the FreshLook website at http://www.freshlookmarketing.com.
About Information Resources, Inc.
Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) is the world’s leading provider of enterprise market information solutions and services for the consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail and healthcare industries, empowering its clients to grow their business profitably in a complex marketplace. Driving the transformation of the industries it serves, only IRI provides a unique combination of real-time market content, advanced analytics, enterprise performance management software, and professional services. The company’s portfolio of services, solutions and technology enable leading retailers and their suppliers around the globe to see what they are missing, act faster with greater confidence and win at the shelf. Ninety-five percent of the FORTUNE Global 500 in CPG and retail leverage IRI to power their business. For more information, visit http://us.infores.com.